angle　as　the　bathroom　door　swung

open。　He　looked　in。

A　long　room；　old…fashioned；　like　a　Pullman　car。　Tiny　white　hexagonal　tiles　on

the　floor。　At　the　far　end；　a　toilet　with　the　lid　up。　At　the　right；　a　washbasin

and　another　mirror　above　it；　the　kind　that　hides　a　medicine　cabinet。　To　the

left；　a　huge　white　tub　on　claw　feet；　the　shower　curtain　pulled　closed。　Danny

stepped　into　the　bathroom　and　walked　toward　the　tub　dreamily；　as　if　propelled

from　outside　himself；　as　if　this　whole　thing　were　one　of　the　dreams　Tony　had

brought　him；　that　he　would　perhaps　see　something　nice　when　he　pulled　the　shower

curtain　back；　something　Daddy　had　forgotten　or　Mommy　had　lost；　something　that

would　make　them　both　happy　—

So　he　pulled　the　shower　curtain　back。

The　woman　in　the　tub　had　been　dead　for　a　long　time。　She　was　bloated　and

purple；　her　gas…filled　belly　rising　out　of　the　cold；　ice…rimmed　water　like　some

fleshy　island。　Her　eyes　were　fixed　on　Danny's；　glassy　and　huge；　like　marbles。

She　was　grinning；　her　purple　lips　pulled　back　in　a　grimace。　Her　breasts　lolled。

Her　pubic　hair　floated。　Her　hands　were　frozen　on　the　knurled　porcelain　sides　of

the　tub　like　crab　claws。

Danny　shrieked。　But　the　sound　never　escaped　his　lips；　turning　inward　and

inward；　it　fell　down　in　his　darkness　like　a　stone　in　a　well。　He　took　a　single

blundering　step　backward；　hearing　his　heels　clack　on　the　white　hexagonal　tiles；

and　at　the　same　moment　his　urine　broke；　spilling　effortlessly　out　of　him。

The　woman　was　sitting　up。

Still　grinning；　her　huge　marble　eyes　fixed　on　him；　she　was　sitting　up。　Her

dead　palms　made　squittering　noises　on　the　porcelain。　Her　breasts　swa